Adopt Resolution 2026-141
In August of 2026, Police Chief Vincent Silva went on approved leave, and his return date is unknown. Staff requests authorization to hire an Interim Police Chief to manage the Police Department's day-to-day operations during his absence. Staff has identified George Crum as a qualified candidate.
Chief Crum (Ret.) has 36 years of progressive law enforcement experience, with his last nine years as the Police Chief of the Cathedral City Police Department. If approved, Chief Crum’s first day as Interim Police Chief will be October 26, 2023. The City Manager will extend a conditional offer of employment contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation as required by POST, a pre-employment physical, psychiatric examination, and confirmation that all CalPERS post-retirement employment requirements have been satisfied.
Pursuant to Government Code sections 7522.56(C) and 21221(G), the City may hire a retired annuitant for no more than 960 hours per year to fill the role of Interim Police Chief. In accordance with these guidelines, Chief Crum is restricted to an aggregate of 960 hours per fiscal year across all CalPERS contracting agencies. His appointment ensures that the Police Department remains under expert leadership during this pivotal period.
The resolution for Interim Retired Annuitant under Government Code sections 7522.56(c) and 21221(g), allows for a public agency to appoint a CalPERS retiree to temporarily fill a position while the employee in that position is on an approved leave of absence. The leave may last no more than one year. This lets the City keep essential work going without hiring a permanent replacement. The appointment is meant for positions that require specialized skills, such as a City Manager, Police Chief, Fire Chief, or Department Head.
Because the employee is expected to return to the position, the City does not need to hold an open recruitment. Council must approve the appointment by resolution at a public meeting before the retiree starts work. The resolution must state the length of the leave and the retiree's specialized skills for the role. The retiree must also meet the post-retirement employment limits in Government Code section 7522.56.
The cost of the retired annuitant appointment will be paid from the Police Department’s adopted Fiscal Year 2026–27 operating budget, in the General Fund, Police Administration salaries account.
Under California Government Code Sections 7522.56 and 21221(g), the retired annuitant will be paid an hourly rate of $119.6007, which is Step 13 of the Salary Grade (D03/CP03) for the Police Chief position. That rate can’t exceed the maximum monthly base salary for the Police Chief classification divided by 173.333. The retired annuitant gets no other pay, incentives, or benefits beyond that hourly rate; additionally, the City makes no CalPERS retirement contributions for the position. The appointment is limited to 960 hours per fiscal year. Based on the maximum hours the retired annuitant can work, the estimated cost, including normal city-paid taxes, is $145,860.00 through June 30, 2027.
The Police Chief’s position stays filled and funded while the permanent Chief is on leave. As a result, this appointment adds cost to the Police Department budget during the overlap period. For now, the Department will absorb the cost within the existing appropriations. During a future Budget Update, staff will propose budget appropriations to reallocate qualified operational expenses to the Supplemental Law Fund. This fund has been underutilized for the past few years and has a healthy fund balance.